Having Fun with some Sandhill Crane Behavior

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

I heard them well before I saw them and knew they could be none other than those gregarious, garrulous, and even noisy Sandhill Crane.  As I rounded the corner and saw them a little ways off I decided to just keep walking and hoped they wouldn't retreat further back into Crane Creek.  Fortunately, they didn't seem to mind me terribly and just went about doing what they were doing.  For these two images (the first is a crop of the one below) I was focused on the bird in the center which was playing with and tossing a stick around.  I liked the way they were paired up and spaced out.  It appears we have two love birds, two indifferent, one loner entertaining itself, and two fussing at each other.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

Now we can see the stick better.  He had picked it up out of the water and just tossed it as you see here while the one on the far right gets a little more animated.  The four on the left seem oblivious to it all.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

The stick is just above the water now and the bird starts to get a little excited as he spreads his wings bends a little at the knees (is that correct?  Do birds have knees?  I'll have to look that up).

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

And we have touch-down as the stick lands up vertical in the muck below and the bird extends and raises his wings, never taking his eyes off the object of his entertainment.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

Suddenly, he pounces on it which draws the attention of one of the two birds on the left.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 220 

All this excitement breaks up the love birds and two who were fussing have stopped but the two indifferent birds are still...well, indifferent and seemingly unimpressed with it all.

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250 

Nikon D750, Nikkor 200-500mm f/5.6 @ 500mm, f/5.6, 1/2500, ISO 250